This summer my wife and I will be doing a circle route from Vienna to Budapest and then driving through Slovenia (Lake Bled and the Julian Alps) to Padova and back to Vienna. We are just beginning to plan our trip, and we'd like to pick a couple of one or two night destinations in Hungary that would be most worthwhile. I'd be interested to hear suggestions for towns/cities to visit, hotels, and dining options. We're partial to smaller towns and know little about rural Hungary. Apart from some travel in the Baltic States (which was very easy), this will be our first venture into Eastern Europe. Thanks!

TTT

One rural Hungarian destination would be the village of Fertod (pop. 3500). It is at the south end of the Neusiedlersee just across the border from Austria.

Fertod is the location of the Esterhazy palace where Haydn for many years served as court musician.

When I was there some years ago, one wing of the palace was being used as a hotel.

In between Vienna and Budapest, I stayed at Sopron(lovely old town) for several nights in 2006, did daytrips to Koszeg, Jak, Szombatheley,Fertod and Nagycenk. I stayed at Pannonia Med Hotel, on the ring road of old town, comfortable room and good food.

JudyC, Did you use a dentist in Sopron? I hear Sopron is famous for all the inexpensive dental work done there.